Illusion apparatus.



N. H. CLARKE.

ILLUSION APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED APR.21,1918.

1,103,485. Patented July 14,1914,

2 SHEE'ITSSHEET l.

WNW m 05 N. H. I CLARKE.

ILLUSION APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 21, 1913.

Patented July 14, 1914. a 2 SHEBTS-8HEET 2. H

72 46 TMueYxQ WMM vNELSON H. CLARKE, 0F CINCINNATI, OHIO.

ILLUSION APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 14, 1914.

Application filed April 21, 1913. Serial No. 762,493.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, NELSON H. Quintin, a citizenof the United States, and a resident of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Illusion Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to illusion apparatus for the introduction into the projected scene or scenes of a picture projecting machine, of a representation of an object movable in said scene or scenes; and relates particularly to an apparatus complementary to the attachment for movi g picture machines as described in my application for Letters Patent of the United States, Serial Number (391,89et, filed April 19, 1912.

he object of my invention is to provide a structure presenting Within the area of, and entirely surrounded by, the projected scene, an image or imitation of an object movable within said scene, whereby a desired illusion may be effected, as, for instance, the illusion of an aeroplane or balloon traveling among the clouds.

A further object of my invention is to provide such a structure, which will admit of the introduction of living persons, or other objects, into the scene.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a front elevation, of my new device, in which the structural image is that of an aeroplane; Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same; Fig. 3 is a perspective, one side of the picture screen being removed; Fig. 4 is a detail of the movable frame; Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a modification; Fig. 6 is a front elevation of a modification, parts being broken away; Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the invention as illustrated in Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is a detail; Fig. 9 is a conventional illustration of the operation of my device in conneotion with the picture projecting machine.

The numeral 1 indicates a screen upon which the desired scene is cast by a picture projecting machine in the usual manner. Said screen may be of any suitable material and of any size requisite to meet the reuirenn-nts of the house in which it is to be employed. Behind said screen, a structure. or tower. composed of uprights 2, horizontals 1) and braces t, is built upon the platform'or stage. The front of said tower has horizontals at the top and bottom only, being otherwise open throughout the height of the tower. The open front of the tower rests immediately in back of the opening 5 in the screen 1, which opening is somewhat narrower than the distance between the front uprights of the tower and extends from the top to the bottom of the screen, as illustrated in Fig. 1. Adapted to slide in the slideway (3 in the front side of the tower is a frame 7, the ends of which are provided with rollers 8 to furnish free movement for the frame in the slideway. The frame 7 serves as a support for the platform 9 which extends forward from the bottom of the frame through the opening in the screen 1. The upper part of the frame has arms 10, which also extend through the opening in the screen. Pivotally mounted on brackets 11 which brace the platform 9, are arms 12, between which arms a spring roller 13, which carries a curtain or web 11, is mounted. The roller 13 is under the platform 9 and it may be of any type, the only requisites being continuous tension and that-the take up shall not require the tripping of a dog; such rollers being well known and of common use in connection with window shades. The web 14 is of a width entirely to cover the opening 5 in the screen and slightly to overlap at the edges. The free end of said web is secured at 15 to the floor of the stage, or to any other suitable and convenient retainer. Pivotally mounted on the inside of supports 16 on the arms 10 are arms 17, between which a spring roller 18, similar in all respects to roller 13, is mounted. The roller 18 carries a web 19 which covers the upper part of the opening 5 in the screen, slightly overlapping the edges of said opening. The free end of the web is secured at 20 to the upper part of the tower or other convenient retainer; The pivotal mountings ofthe arms 12 and 17 are even with, or slightly in back of, the plane of the screen so that gravity may aid in holding the rollers and webs close to the screen at all times, the arms being pendent.

' The platform 9 andthe arms 10 are provided with the lower and upper planes 21 and 22 respectively of an aeroplane, the said planes being adjustably mounted, as best shown in Fig. 7, so that the angle of inclination of the planes may be changed, bearings of high friction being provided so that when so adjusted the planes may remain at the desired angle. The frame 7 is also provided with a seat 23 to be occupied by a person or persons at flight, according to the illusion, in the aeroplane. In the frame 7, in front of said seat, is a screen 24 in which there is an opening through which the person or persons occupying the seat are visible. The purpose of said screen is to keep from view from the front, the mechanism of the tower and any other objects behind the screen which might tend to destroy the desired illusion. Upon the screen 24 mechanism appropriate to the aeroplane ma be depicted. Attached to the upper part 0 the frame 7 is a rope 25 which works over pulleys 26 in the tower. On the free end of said rope is a counterweight 27.

It will now be apparent from the foregoing description, that, by means of the rope 25, the frame 7 may be raised or lowered, at will in the tower, carrying with it. the

planes 21 and 22, which are in front of the screen 1, thus presentingthe appearance of an aeroplane rising or descending in the area of the screen 1, upon which a. scene containing clouds or other desired details is projected by the projecting machine 28, illustrated conventionally in Fig. 9. During the rising and falling of the frame 7 the webs l4 and 19, are taken up or unrolled, as the case may be, 14 unrolling and 19 being taken up as the frame rises, and conversely as the frame descends, so that at all times the open ing '5 in the screen 1 is entirely covered both above and below the frame 7. The webs, it will be understood, are of a color and texture, satisfactorilyto merge, in the scene, with the screen 1, thus entirely surrounding the frame 7, or aeroplane, with the said projected scene. In such process of moving the frame 7, the counterweight 27 will serve to facilitate the operation, and will also hold stationary the frame at any desired elevation.

In Fig. 5 of the drawings I have shown a modification of the device as above described, parts being left out for the sake of clearness, in which, instead of the two webs 14 and 19 mounted on spring rollers, as heretofore explained, a continuous web 29 is employed, thesaid web passing from its fastening 30 above, around the roller 31 rotatably mounted at the upper front of the frame 7, thence back around the rollers 82 and 33 rotatably mounted on the arms 34 and 35 at the hack of the frame 7, on the upper and lower parts thereof respectively; thence around the roller 36 at the lower front of the frame to its under fastening 37. It will be apparent from such construction, that the frame 7, on being raised oi lowered, will travel on the web 29, displaying such portions thereof above and below the frame as are necessary to cover the upper and projected lower portions of the opening in the screen; the web, it being understood, being of a size, color and texture to merge with the screen as above set forth.

In Figs. 6 and 7 I have illustrated another application of my device in which only a small opening 38 in the screen 1 is required, the movement of the frame, however, being more limited in scope. The opening 38 is located at any suitable place in the screen 1, preferably centrally, or a little below center. On plates which are adapted to be secured to the uprights 2 of the tower at any desired elevation by means of bolts or otherwise, are studs 39 upon which rollers 40 are mounted; each of these rollers 40 is pro vided with a flange 41 which contains a raceway for ball-bearings 42; one of the rollers being shown in detail in Fig. 8. These rollers extend through the opening 38 in the screen, and the vertical bars 43 of the frame 7 are adapted to bear on the same, the bearings 42 in the flanges 41 of said rollers bearing against the front sides of the bars 43,,the frame itself being adapted to vertical movement in front of the screen. The frame 7 is provided with a platform 9 and arms 10, on which planes 21 and 22 are mounted in the manner hereinbefore set forth, and on the former of which the seat 23 is provided.

.At the upper and lower ends of the frame 7,

between lateral projections 44 and 45, rollers 46 are mounted; these rollers are adapted to bear on the front of the screen against the uprights 2 of the tower to steady the movements of the frame. Attached to the lower cross-bar 47 of'the frame is the rope 25, the same passing over pulleys 26 mounted in the tower and being provided with a counterweight27 As will now be seen the frame 7 of the device as illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7 is adapted to vertical movement in front of the screen, the bars 43 of the frame riding on the rollers 40 which rollers deprive the frame of lateral movement. The frame 7 is prevented from moving away from the screen 1 by the flanges 41 on the rollers, and the ball-bearings 42 reduce to a minimum the friction of said flanges against the bars 43, thus insuring free and even movement to the frame. A screen 24 is provided in the frame for the purpose hereinabove set forth.

lOO

The operation of my invention is as folthe drawings, a scene depicting clouds, etc.

The machine is also equipped with blockingout mechanism as described in detail in my application Serial Number (391,. 94- hy means of which a blank space is obtained within the area of, and entirely surroinuled by, the

scene projected on the screen 1; said blank space being also movable in said area. The structure carried by frame 7 will, in the proper relative adjustment of the blockingout mechanism and the screen 1, occupy the blank space in the picture, thus filling in said space with a device appropriate to the surrounding scene, the structure being rendered visible by reasonof the general glow of the projected rays, or by any appropriate illuminating means carried by said structure or otherwise. By means of said device, also, persons are allowed to enter into the scene. In the subsequent progress of the illusion, the structure on frame 7 is actuated, in the manner above set forth, to movements correlated to the movements of the blank space in the scene, thus giving the appearance of the movement of the structure in the scene.

It is obvious that many variations and modifications may be made in the details of construction of tower, frame and structural image without departing from the spirit of my invention as above described. It is also obvious that, by employing'the principle above disclosed, movement of the image in any direction in the scene may be obtained; also that the nature of the projecting machine, whether stereopticon or moving picture machine is immaterial. And

hence all of such modifications and changes are contemplated as within the disclosure of the specification and drawings herein.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. An illusion apparatus comprising a screen, means for projecting a scene upon said screen, an object adapted to harmonize with said scene, means to support said object movably in said scene, and means for changing the location of said objectin said scene. 1

2. An illusion apparatus comprising a screen, means for projecting a scene upon said screen, an object adapted to harmonize .withsaid scene, an opening in said screen whereby said object may be introduced into, and is permitted to move in, said scene, means for moving said ob ect, and means whereby portions of said opening in said screen uncovered by said object may be covered during the movements of said object.

3. In an illusion apparatus of the character specified, the combination with a screen, of a tower, said tower being located in back of said screen, and a frame movably mounted on said tower, said frame being adapted to carry an object visible in front of said screen.

a. 111 an illusion apparatus of the character specified, the combination with the screen, of a tower, said tower being located in back of said screen, a frame movably mounted in said tower, said frame being adapted to carry an object visible in front of said screen, and means for moving said frame, whereby said object is caused to change location within the area of said screen.

5. In an illusion apparatus of the character specified, the combination with the screen, ofa tower, said tower being loci ted in back of said screen, a frame movably mounted in said tower, said frame being adapted to support, through an opening in said screen, an object-in front of said screen, means for moving said frame, whereby said object is caused to move in front and within the area of said screen, and means whereby portions of the opening in said screen uncovered by said object may be covered during the movements of said object.

6. In an illusion apparatus of the character specified,. the combination with the screen, of a tower, said tower being located in back of said screen, a frame supported by said tower in front of said screen, said frame being adapted to change location within the area of said screen, means in front of said screen to serve as a guide for said frame, and means for moving said frame.

In witness whereof I have hereunto sub scribed my name at Cincinnati, Ohio, this 18th day of April, 1913.

NELSON 1-1. CLARKE.

Witnesses ARTHUR H. EwALn, Frank J. XVEUDELU. 

